Wolf
by Solosorca
Summary: Once a month, Ryoma is a wolf. Despite this, their relationship works.


This is a sort of discworld AU, but you don't need to know the books to understand it.

* * *

It was a cold night, but bright- the full moon illuminating the streets so well that there was little need for the gas lamps. The street wasn't empty, but it wasn't full either. The streets may be safer a night -especially if you kept up your payments to the thieves guild- bit it was cold and the trickle of people were headed for home.

One figure stopped in front of a small and only slightly shabby shop -the sign above declaring it to be the premises of Tezuka & Echizen's Private Detective Agency- and pulled out a key. There was a pause, as the man fought with the dodgy lock, and then the door swung open.

Inside was more of an office than a shop consisting of a couple of chairs, a desk and several filing cabinets. The man, by the name of Tezuka Kunimitsu, shrugged off his coat and hung it on the hook next to the door then went through a door in the back of the shop to another, messier office and a flight of stairs .

Tezuka climbed the stairs up into the small living quarters above the shop. He pulled off his boots and neatly put them against the wall, next to a pair of newer, shinier boots.

He was well aware his every action was being intently watched. He turned and looked at the large black wolf, curled up in his basket and watching Tezuka with large, almost gold eyes. The wolf wagged it's tail once in greeting then sighed, looking away from him.

"I'm home," Tezuka told him. The wolf sighed again.

Tezuka smiled to himself. Ryoma didn't like full moon. He could turn into a wolf whenever he wanted (and often did for the sake of their investigations), but being in the light of the full moon made the transformation mandatory, something that Ryoma resented.

Tezuka scratched him behind the ears -Ryoma whined pathetically- and then made a start on dinner. Normally, Ryoma would be by his side as he cooked, stealing food and occasionally helping. It was quite lonely to be cooking by himself whilst his partner sulked in his basket.

"Here you are," Tezuka said, putting a plate with a raw steak in front of Ryoma. He didn't make a habit of buying expensive meat, but Ryoma was always so miserable during his forced transformations that he couldn't help but spoil him a bit.

Ryoma gave him a look saying he knew exactly how much his dinner had cost in comparison to Tezuka's, but pulled himself out of the basket, stretched and set about on the steak. The butchers of Ankh Morpork had quickly learnt not to pass off old or unnamed meat to Ryoma nor Tezuka- you couldn't fool a werewolf's nose and Ryoma could get unpleasant when he was angry.

With his meal eaten, Ryoma lolloped over and rested his head in Tezuka's lap. Tezuka finished eating before stroking Ryoma's soft fur and scratching him behind the ears.

For the rest of the evening Tezuka read, Ryoma lying by his feet, occasionally raising up to have his head pat. When bed time came, Ryoma followed him to the bedroom, standing on the threshold and wagging his tail hopefully.

"Come on," Tezuka sighed and in one great bound, Ryoma was on the bed (no doubt spreading hair all over it, Tezuka thought). "Get under the covers," Tezuka ordered, "you'll freeze when you turn back otherwise." Ryoma scrambled under and turned around, resting his head on the pillow, but not before licking Tezuka's face affectionately.

It had taken Tezuka a while to get used to sharing his bed with a wolf. It was much easier letting him in though than waking up to find that Ryoma had snuck in and accidentally given Tezuka a small heart attack.

"Good night," Tezuka said and Ryoma made a noise somewhere between a yip and a sigh in response.

* * *

The next morning, Tezuka awoke to find Ryoma next to him, naked and very much human again. He leaned over and kissed his cheek, Ryoma shifted slightly in his sleep, but didn't wake.

Tezuka smiled and went to make breakfast.

"I hate being a werewolf," Ryoma grumbled half an hour later as he trudged into the room.


End file.
